Phuket: No chairs. No eating. No smoking. 'Chairgate' becomes a fiasco (video)

[Dogmatix]

These older European couples are not interested in go-go bars, lady boys or temples or any of the other things Thailand has to offer and most don't really like spicy Thai food much either. They just want to lie on the beach all day and be comfortable without harassment by uneducated police, mafia or other examples of Thainess.

These are the easiest tourists to please but also the easiest for competitors to please too. Soon they will be lying on beaches in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the Caribbean etc during the European winter and will never return to Phuket.

[sawadee1947]

What a BS video from an idiot presenter

Anyone can hire a chair

All they have done is stop the vendors from taking over the beach with their chairs and forcing tourists to rent them.

Rent one from off the beach and place it where you want, easy

If you are staying there for a month and can't afford to buy a folding chair you shouldn't be visiting Thailand

...if you pay $600 for a week holiday you can easily spend $10 for a folding chair or $8 for a folding umbrella

[Yann55]

I can't help but think of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' when I read about well-intentioned powers trying to implement rules they deem 'good for the people'.

The reason communism (as theorised by Marx) was never implemented anywhere (regardless of the labels used by its self-appointed champions) is that you don't replace an age-old situation by a theoretical idea. The situation is organic, while the idea is purely intellectual. Just like you don't replace a real leg with a plastic one.

If one day human beings are capable of creating a fly, then they will also be able to put together (and hopefully implement) a political system that is indeed 'good for the people'. All the people.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Yann55

[mrdc]

Thai people do not like foreigners....you can see it everyday...on the news...in the streets....at work....they put up with foreigners to make money, but deep down, they do not like foreigners and would prefer that we all just be quiet and let them cheat us out of money as they wish. i'm sorry to say it...but so far, Thai people have not been so great to me. maybe your experience is better than mine...i hope so.

[SEEDGER]

Being new to this,it is wonderful and the Government should force all Restaurants along the beach to close all day as well. if you're going to screw the beach vendor why not the restaunt owner as well! Come to think of it all Business along the beach roads should be closed no 7 /11 open no shops no bars just empty streets then people could enjoy the peace and quite! But wait could they do more sure the could you know what would make Thaialnd even mor enjoyable is no noise at all so on Wednesdays in support of Phuketing the beach vendor All tansportation will cease to move including flights in and out of Suvarnabhumi airport! So who cares if Thailand loses cumaltive 1 million a day US in revenue! ( SARCASM)

[Hostile]

The worst part is that police harras elders and asks them what room you stay where u from etc.. there is vid of it. Guy says he comes here 16 years and will not return...

[mathias67]

Good idea Mr. Governor.

No chairs No food No smoking ...... and No breathing

We all know they don't want us here. So when you arrive leave your wallet,credit/debit cards at the airport and get a return flight home. So much for saying to the tourist welcome to Thailand/Puhket/Pattaya etc

[emilymat]

What a BS video from an idiot presenter

Anyone can hire a chair

All they have done is stop the vendors from taking over the beach with their chairs and forcing tourists to rent them.

Rent one from off the beach and place it where you want, easy

If you are staying there for a month and can't afford to buy a folding chair you shouldn't be visiting Thailand

What is the BS part? You clearly have not been keeping up with the news have you? The governor of Phuket has outlawed chairs and sunbeds except for the 10% part of the beach. A couple of days ago the police were enforcing these bye-laws and ejecting people who had brought their own sun chairs from the beach. It was all on video for everybody to see. A policeman telling tourists if the don't like it go home and complain from there. This is the law now (at least it was 2 days ago):

1. Sunbeds and parasols ONLY in the 10% area.

2. Towels are allowed on other parts of the beach but parasols are not, they can only be used in the 10% part of the beach

3. No food (except packed snacks such as crisps)

4. No smoking

This is how it is Gunna. It's a problem for a few reasons.

1. A lot of older people cannot get down or back up from the floor easily (or at all in some cases)

2. Laying on a towel is okay for some but no parasol means no shade. What are constantly being told these days about skin cancer being the fastest growing of all cancers?

I hope that clears it up for you?

Well said. At 73, when I go to the beach all I want to do is sit in a chair and have a quiet hour or so reading my book and the occasional cigarette (away from other people - with my own ashtray). Now, if it's not the vendors who constantly distract you, it's a whole load of new restrictions, with the 'thought police' to impose them.

To hell with it. This place is a madhouse.

[RigPig]

no chairs, no tourism.

BS, it works everywhere else in the world.

Plus there is no need to ban the chairs and umbrellas to stop the Mafia taking over, they can rent them off the beach... simple!!!

[RigPig]

What a BS video from an idiot presenter

Anyone can hire a chair

All they have done is stop the vendors from taking over the beach with their chairs and forcing tourists to rent them.

Rent one from off the beach and place it where you want, easy

If you are staying there for a month and can't afford to buy a folding chair you shouldn't be visiting Thailand

What is the BS part? You clearly have not been keeping up with the news have you? The governor of Phuket has outlawed chairs and sunbeds except for the 10% part of the beach. A couple of days ago the police were enforcing these bye-laws and ejecting people who had brought their own sun chairs from the beach. It was all on video for everybody to see. A policeman telling tourists if the don't like it go home and complain from there. This is the law now (at least it was 2 days ago):

1. Sunbeds and parasols ONLY in the 10% area.

2. Towels are allowed on other parts of the beach but parasols are not, they can only be used in the 10% part of the beach

3. No food (except packed snacks such as crisps)

4. No smoking

This is how it is Gunna. It's a problem for a few reasons.

1. A lot of older people cannot get down or back up from the floor easily (or at all in some cases)

2. Laying on a towel is okay for some but no parasol means no shade. What are constantly being told these days about skin cancer being the fastest growing of all cancers?

I hope that clears it up for you?

1. A lot of older people cannot get down or back up from the floor easily (or at all in some cases)

2. Laying on a towel is okay for some but no parasol means no shade. What are constantly being told these days about skin cancer being the fastest growing of all cancers?

So why cant they use the 10% area.

But more to the point why cant people bring their own, the intention was NEVER to stop people using chairs or umbrellas but to stop the ¨mafia¨ from controlling the beach and making (monopolized) incomes off the beach !!!

[RigPig]

What a BS video from an idiot presenter

Anyone can hire a chair

All they have done is stop the vendors from taking over the beach with their chairs and forcing tourists to rent them.

Rent one from off the beach and place it where you want, easy

If you are staying there for a month and can't afford to buy a folding chair you shouldn't be visiting Thailand

...if you pay $600 for a week holiday you can easily spend $10 for a folding chair or $8 for a folding umbrella

Tell that to the Russian and Chinese package tour tourists.....

Plus it should be freedom of choice, you shouldn´t be forced / coerced into it, it should be optional. If you own one or your hotel supplies one why cant you use it?

Edit to add

Edited February 20, 2015 by RigPig

[tuyatim]

No chairs, no food, no smoking. Sounds idyllic to me. If "no jet skis" can be added to the list then we will have reached Utopia and I'll be on the next plane to Phuket. We don't all want those things and I suspect very many others feel the same way. In my opinion the restrictions will attract a different type of tourist: ones who care about and enjoy their environment without all the trash that's forced upon us everywhere we go these days. The beaches will become cleaner so may even attract more tourists to the area.

I'm delighted to see this forward thinking, even if it has been brought about for other reasons. In many places the beaches are so crowded with chairs that you can hardly see the sand! Bring back our beaches I say.

[Gunna]

What a BS video from an idiot presenter

Anyone can hire a chair

All they have done is stop the vendors from taking over the beach with their chairs and forcing tourists to rent them.

Rent one from off the beach and place it where you want, easy

If you are staying there for a month and can't afford to buy a folding chair you shouldn't be visiting Thailand

What is the BS part? You clearly have not been keeping up with the news have you? The governor of Phuket has outlawed chairs and sunbeds except for the 10% part of the beach. A couple of days ago the police were enforcing these bye-laws and ejecting people who had brought their own sun chairs from the beach. It was all on video for everybody to see. A policeman telling tourists if the don't like it go home and complain from there. This is the law now (at least it was 2 days ago):

1. Sunbeds and parasols ONLY in the 10% area.

2. Towels are allowed on other parts of the beach but parasols are not, they can only be used in the 10% part of the beach

3. No food (except packed snacks such as crisps)

4. No smoking

This is how it is Gunna. It's a problem for a few reasons.

1. A lot of older people cannot get down or back up from the floor easily (or at all in some cases)

2. Laying on a towel is okay for some but no parasol means no shade. What are constantly being told these days about skin cancer being the fastest growing of all cancers?

I hope that clears it up for you?

Sorry, I have just returned from a wedding in Buriram Provence in a village between Nahkon Nowhere and Bum <removed> Nowhere with no internet, hence no news since Monday

So I have checked and yes they changed the rule a couple of days ago without informing me

What a bunch of <removed> idiots - they were expressly told how to organise the beaches and have completely <removed> up

The sooner some of these Governors are sacked the better

[ggt]

No chairs, No eating, No smoking...followed by No Tourists...followed by an unprecedented reduction in the crime rate for the mafia paradise...

[Hostile]

[mochajazz]

F.. the chairs. they clutter the beach and ruin the beauty of the beach.

When i go to a beach i want to see the fricken beach not a field of chairs and umbrellas.

This is the best this to happen to phuket.

[Nalo56]

Amazing Thailand, no chairs, no food , no smoking, pretty soon if these type of nonsense laws keep being applied, guess what? NO TOURIST!!!!

At least you will have beautiful empty beaches, imagine that

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[KhnomKhnom]

Unless you like looking like lobster or like skin cancer, go back under the trees and rent a chair. The obscenity of all those beached wales flopped on towels is disgusting.

[jackh]

Please, somebody post the dress code for the beach. Judging from the video, they should do something more sane and pass a dress code law for the beach and stop this chair nonsense.

Silly Thailand. Phuket is in its deathnell now. A few more years it will be a lazy fishing town. Good riddance.

[ttthailand]

I use to get upset about the stupid things going on in this country but now I just laugh. I mean really .... How clueless can you be.

Phuket, listen and follow ....

1.There should be no businesses operating on the beach (90%) ...end of story. This includes jet skis, boats, food venders etc etc

2. Bring your own chairs, blankets, umbrellas, soft drinks, and anything else you want. If you want to rent it someplace it is up to you but ....No Venders on the 90% allowed for tourists ! NONE !!!

3. Clean up your own trash or be fined. Trash cans should be provided along the beach.

4. Smoking in smoking areas only. Set aside small areas for smoking.

5. 10% of beach for massages and other venders.

[balo]

Please, somebody post the dress code for the beach. Judging from the video, they should do something more sane and pass a dress code law for the beach and stop this chair nonsense.

Silly Thailand. Phuket is in its deathnell now. A few more years it will be a lazy fishing town. Good riddance.

Don't worry Thailand will survive, with or without you. Tourism only contribute 10% of GDP in Thailand. .

The tourism industry could change with more Asian tourists coming and less EU and US tourists. Thais don't care as long as they survive.

[smokie36]

Burn the chairs......hell burn down the airport.

Its Phuket's last chance.....the mayor is a visionary leader!

[HerbalEd]

No smoking on the beach? Great news for me. Anyone who has ever stepped on a burning cigarette when walking on the beach knows what I mean. It HURTS!

Except for a scant few, the vast majority of smokers have proven themselves unable to smoke and deal with their trash (butts) in a responsible manner. Thus they have to be managed like impolite selfish children.

Edited February 20, 2015 by HerbalEd

[captspectre]

I thought that coffin had no more space left for extra nails

GOOD! now if only the tourist would stop going there it would reveft to a gang camp with the crooks feeding on each other!

[captspectre]

Please, somebody post the dress code for the beach. Judging from the video, they should do something more sane and pass a dress code law for the beach and stop this chair nonsense.

Silly Thailand. Phuket is in its deathnell now. A few more years it will be a lazy fishing town. Good riddance.

Don't worry Thailand will survive, with or without you. Tourism only contribute 10% of GDP in Thailand. .

The tourism industry could change with more Asian tourists coming and less EU and US tourists. Thais don't care as long as they survive.

what planet do you live on? what about all the hired hrlp in the restraunts, hotels, and cat houses who serve the tourist? if the tourist go and I hope they do, than the Thai May wake up!

[DrTuner]

You'd think that after decades of being a top 10 tourist destination, Thailand would have at least some idea of how to deal with tourists and know what (as a tourist) they want.

I guess not. This has all (in part) lead to the massive decline in tourist numbers, the massive increase in negative reviews of Thailand online and the mass confusion everywhere about what is and is not allowed or acceptable in Thailand.

With the current administration, it's safe to assume everything that is not explicitly permitted, such as oogling reproductions of Thai culture from an age before the previos military dictators ruined it, is prohibited. They seem to love restrictive rules.

[Pikeybkk]

Phuket: No chairs. No eating. No smoking....they won't be happy until there are No tourists as well. What a farce.

[steve73]

I agree that rows of empty (or even full..!) beach chairs & umbrellas make beahes look ugly, but if some (older perhaps) people want or need them they should be allowed...Either bring your own, or have some available to rent but kept off the beach unless they're actually being used. Charge a hefty deposit to ensure the tourists return them when they've finished using them.

As to the rubbish issue; perhaps the litter police could be better used here..? TBH, on my local beach, most of the rubbish is washed ashore from the ocean, and the local beach restaurants have formerly kept their area clean - at least until they were evicted, so now the beaches are definitely getting worse. And the few areas without chairs or restaurants tended to attract the picnicing Thai familys, many of who don't take their rubbish away with them... Ideal targets for the above police I'd have thought.

[Nowisee]

I use to get upset about the stupid things going on in this country but now I just laugh. I mean really .... How clueless can you be.

Phuket, listen and follow ....

1.There should be no businesses operating on the beach (90%) ...end of story. This includes jet skis, boats, food venders etc etc

2. Bring your own chairs, blankets, umbrellas, soft drinks, and anything else you want. If you want to rent it someplace it is up to you but ....No Venders on the 90% allowed for tourists ! NONE !!!

3. Clean up your own trash or be fined. Trash cans should be provided along the beach.

4. Smoking in smoking areas only. Set aside small areas for smoking.

5. 10% of beach for massages and other venders.

This seems completely reasonable to me.

Sadly, too many people are inconsiderate of others and must be policed. Think of the silly rules that are all over the world. Most are implemented because of the inconsideration.

No smoking on the beach? Great news for me. Anyone who has ever stepped on a burning cigarette when walking on the beach knows what I mean. It HURTS!

Except for a scant few, the vast majority of smokers have proven themselves unable to smoke and deal with their trash (butts) in a responsible manner. Thus they have to be managed like impolite selfish children.

Smokers should be banned

[Kiwisailor]

Good idea Mr. Governor.

No chairs No food No smoking ...... and No breathing

We all know they don't want us here. So when you arrive leave your wallet,credit/debit cards at the airport and get a return flight home. So much for saying to the tourist welcome to Thailand/Puhket/Pattaya etc

No need to leave your cards at the airport, everytime I've used mine in the Dutyfree shops there they have been skimmed. After the third time I now only use cash at the airport.